Saturday, July 4

Featured

Why William and Harry’s children differ in surnames
Featured, United Kingdom

Why William and Harry’s children differ in surnames

    If you’ve ever sat and wondered why Prince William and Prince Harry’s children don’t have the same surname then don’t worry, you’re not alone. This topic came to fruition when Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, was pregnant with gorgeous Archie Harrison, and now we’re eager to explore why the little royals don’t share the same name. William and Kate Middleton's children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis all have the last name Cambridge, whilst Harry and Meghan’s tot goes under Mountbatten-Windsor. This is because William and Kate’s children have taken the last name of William, whose title is the Duke of Cambridge, whilst Archie Harrison has not been issued with a title and would therefore be known as Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten Windsor, a...
PM soars into poll lead over Corbyn
Featured, United Kingdom

PM soars into poll lead over Corbyn

    Boris Johnson and the Conservatives have surged to a huge 17-point lead at the start of the general election campaign, a major poll revealed today. The Ipsos MORI survey shows the Tories up eight points since September to 41 per cent, while Labour is marooned on 24. At the same time, the Prime Minister’s personal scores have leaped, including for his handling of Brexit, while those of Jeremy Corbyn have stayed at rock bottom. The findings are excruciating for the Labour leader, suggesting that his fence-sitting on Brexit has turned into a disaster. Eight in 10 people think he has done a bad job at handling Brexit, indicating that neither Leave nor Remain supporters admire his performance. And just over half of Labour supporters think Mr Corbyn has handled Brexit ...
Priti Patel aide ejected by armed guard from Westminster bar
Featured, United Kingdom

Priti Patel aide ejected by armed guard from Westminster bar

    A top aide to the home secretary was escorted out of a bar in the Houses of Parliament by armed police on Tuesday night, just as MPs were voting on an election that Boris Johnson wants to make about law and order. Two people who witnessed the incident said Priti Patel’s chief of staff, James Starkie, was ordered out of Strangers Bar, which is frequented by MPs, after swearing loudly in the vicinity of the Conservative MP Bob Stewart, being refused service and appearing to punch a door. As he was escorted out by police, witnesses said he apologised for his behaviour. The incident came as MPs finally resolved to break the Brexit deadlock by voting for a general election which is is expected to be held on 12 December. Starkie is a familiar face around Westminster as a...
Wife of jailed former Mexico governor detained in London
Featured, United Kingdom

Wife of jailed former Mexico governor detained in London

    The wife of jailed former Veracruz state Gov. Javier Duarte has been detained in London, Mexican authorities said Tuesday. A Mexican official who was not authorized to speak about the case said that Karime Macias was detained Tuesday. Duarte was arrested in Guatemala in 2017 after six months on the run and is awaiting trial on charges of money laundering and embezzlement. Macias had been with him at the time. Macias ran Veracruz's children's and families agency during his term. Mexico had sought her extradition on state fraud charges. Local media have depicted her life in London in surreptitiously shot photos and videos. Macias' lawyer did not immediately return a call for comment. The official said Macias would appear before a judge in London. During the extradi...
What could December’s vote mean for Brexit
Featured, United Kingdom

What could December’s vote mean for Brexit

    Just when you thought it was safe to drink mulled wine ... they’re back. The same politicians who ruined most of 2019 with Brexit chaos are determined to wreck Christmas by calling a snap general election on December 12. But before, in the name of your sanity/human rights/Strictly Come Dancing, you tune out completely, you should know just how important the election is for the future of Brexit. If you care about when, how or if the UK leaves the EU, you should vote and here’s why. It won’t have escaped your notice that Leavers and Remainers have been at war since the 2016 referendum result. Boris Johnson surprised everyone by agreeing a fresh withdrawal deal with Brussels earlier this month. Reminder: this ‘stage one’ deal only sets out the terms on which the UK ...
London low emission zone racks up 224,000 penalty charges
Featured, London

London low emission zone racks up 224,000 penalty charges

    Since coming into effect in April 2019, London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) has seen more than 2.1 million drivers pay the daily charge. However, around 224,000 entries into the zone have gone unpaid, incurring penalty charge notices. A Freedom of Information request to Transport for London by Motorway.co.uk uncovered the figures. A total of 223,952 penalties were sent out between May 11 and August 31. And nearly 32,000 drivers have received more than one fine for lack of ULEZ payment. One driver has racked up a scarcely believable 81 penalties, amounting to £13,000. Overall, TfL has made £10.6 million in fines, and £30.7 million in paid ULEZ charges. If that course is maintained, the ULEZ combined could earn TfL more than £120 million in its first year. The ...
EU chief’s warning as deal approved
Featured, United Kingdom

EU chief’s warning as deal approved

    The latest Brexit delay to 31 January 2020 may be the last one, an outgoing EU chief has warned. Donald Tusk, who is stepping down as EU Council president at the end of November, intervened as MPs appear close to agreeing a pre-Christmas election. Please make the best use of this time, he tweeted on Tuesday afternoon. I also want to say goodbye to you as my mission here is coming to an end, the former Polish prime minister wrote in a message addressed to my British friends. He added the formal decision to offer a three-month delay to avoid no-deal had been rubber stamped. Mr Tusk has been a major figure in the Brexit negotiations, in charge of convening all major summits of EU leaders to sign off on delays requested by Britain and the deals secured with Theresa M...
MPs debate election date
Featured, United Kingdom

MPs debate election date

    Boris Johnson looks set to secure a pre-Christmas general election as MPs prepare to vote on a bill paving the way for a December poll. The prime minister avoided a potential obstacle when the House of Commons deputy speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, refused to allow votes on Labour amendments calling for the vote to be given to EU citizens and 16- and 17-year olds. The government had said it would pull the bill if either of the amendments passed. Earlier, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said his party would back an early election after its condition that a no-deal Brexit be taken “off the table” was met.
No 10 could back Lib Dem’s December election plan
Featured, United Kingdom

No 10 could back Lib Dem’s December election plan

    Downing Street has indicated it would back a plan by the Liberal Democrats to change the law in order to hold a December election if Labour refuses to back Boris Johnson’s motion on Monday for an early poll. A No 10 source attempted to put pressure on Labour to back its motion under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act for an election on 12 December, saying the government would turn to the Lib Dem plan as an alternative. Johnson needs Labour support to get a two-thirds majority for an election under current legislation, but Jeremy Corbyn is refusing to back one while the possibility of a no-deal Brexit is still alive. Over the weekend, the Lib Dems offered to help Johnson change the law to allow an election on 9 December, which would need only a simple majority in parlia...
EU agrees three-month Brexit flextension
Featured, United Kingdom

EU agrees three-month Brexit flextension

    Boris Johnson's do or die pledge to leave the European Union this week was dead in a ditch today as EU leaders ruled on a Brexit extension until January 31. Following a meeting of ambassadors, European Council President Donald Tusk announced that EU leaders were accepting the delay of up to three months that was ordered by Parliament against the Prime Minister’s wishes. It could be shortened to November 30 or New Year’s Eve if a deal is passed before January. Downing Street responded by repeating Mr Johnson’s call for a general election on December 12 and called for a new Parliament willing to put his Brexit deal on the statute books. A No 10 source told the Evening Standard: We are going full-on for an election on December 12. The source said there was a brief w...